The Vampire and the Soul Reaper
by Insieme per la vittoria
Summary: Spike has left the Slayer circle, and seeks to settle down in peace to come to terms with his soul. However, peace is the last thing he will find, as he finds himself in the company of Ichigo Kurosaki, as well as a group of hollows who had intended to consume Spike's soul. How will Spike and Ichigo make their way?
1. Spike Meets Ichigo

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Spike stood in the street, watching the boring process of everyday life.  
A young man with orange red hair, wearing a black Japanese martial arts outfit of some sort, walked down the road in Spike's direction. The boy wore a large sword across his back. As he got close, Spike smirked. "Trick or bloody treat, eh?"  
The boy looked Spike up and down, looking surprised. "You can see me?"  
Spike shrugged. "Well I'm looking right at you and talking to you aren't I?"

The boy suddenly turned, looking concerned, and his reaction was directly followed by the sound of something roaring in the distance. Just as Spike heard this, a large creature with claws and a white face appeared, charging down the street. The boy charged at it, drawing his sword, but another of the creatures appeared from behind a building, charging not at the boy, but at Spike.  
Spike pulled out a knife and jumped onto the creature's face, stabbing it, but the knife couldn't seem to penetrate the creature's face, which was revealed on closer inspection to in fact be a mask.

The creature threw Spike away, and Spike landed heavily on the ground. The vampire stood just in time to defend against the creature, slamming the knife into its chest, right next to the hole that was in its chest. The creature roared with pain, and Spike jumped up onto its head, stabbing the knife into the base of its head, killing it. As the creature faded away, Spike dropped to the ground, before turning to regard the boy, who had already dispatched the other creature.  
"You just killed a hollow. What are you?"

Spike stood at the shop that the boy had taken him to. A man in a striped green hat stepped up. He seemed completely sure of himself, and leaned on a plain looking walking stick, that Spike noticed smelled of death, and was probably filled with some sort of magic.  
The man smiled in an unassuming, innocent way, holding out his hand. "Kisuke Urahara."  
Spike decided that it was best not to touch this stranger, and he suspected that was just what the man in the hat expected him to do. The man smirked, slipping his hand into the pocket of his coat.

Spike then turned to face the red haired kid. "And you?"  
The boy looked confused, before answering, "Ichigo Kurosaki."  
Spike rolled his eyes, not liking being surrounded by these weird people.  
"I'm Spike. Would you tell me what the bloody hell that big ugly thing was? And while you're at it, what the bloody hell YOU are?"


	2. Meeting Buffy

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.**

Spike and Ichigo walked up to the secret house Buffy lived in with Dawn these days. As Buffy invited Spike in, Ichigo entered behind him, and Spike introduced them.  
To his surprise, Buffy just narrowed her eyes. "Spike. There's no one with you. You aren't talking to invisible people again are you?"  
Spike looked from Buffy to Ichigo, shocked. "What the bloody hell are you talking about? Ichigo's standing not three feet from you."  
Ichigo rested his hand on Spike's shoulder. "She can't see me."

Afterwards, Spike sat with Ichigo outside.  
Ichigo spoke. "Vampires with souls are a strange thing. I called Rukia, and she'll be here soon.

The following night, Spike met Rukia, a small girl with dark hair. She looked at Spike closely.  
"A vampire with a soul. Most interesting."  
Rukia pulled out a pad, and began drawing pictures that looked strangely like bunnies surrounded by either light or dark.  
"When a human becomes a vampire, their soul is sent to limbo, where it remains until the vampire is destroyed, and then it becomes a ghost like any other. When a vampire's soul is restored, that soul is forced back into the vampire's body, and they become essentially stuck halfway between the living world and the Soul Society. A vampire with a soul has only been seen one other time, and while that Vampire can see soul reapers, he has no spiritual pressure of his own, but you do. You even have enough spiritual pressure that you could become a soul reaper yourself."

After Rukia was done, she looked up, still holding the pad. "Any questions?"  
Spike shrugged. "Just one. Why are you drawing little bunnies?"  
Rukia scowled, slamming her fist onto the top of Spike's head. Spike recoiled, surprised at the ferocity of her reaction.

Spike and Ichigo cut a group of vampires apart. It was an easy fight, but Spike was not focused. He was starting to think more than ever before about what it could mean to have a soul. Ichigo had set him thinking that he didn't truly belong in the mortal world.

Spike stood with Ichigo, looking into the gate that would take them to the Soul Society.  
"Are you ready for this?" Asked Ichigo.  
Spike nodded. "I'm ready."  
The two walked in, the gate sealing behind them.


End file.
